The Rescue Board is sending three multi-purpose bomb squad vehicles to Ukraine as part of Estonia’s humanitarian support for the country. The vehicles have passed a technical inspection in Estonia and are ready to be used.

The three vans have a total market value of €12,200, the cost of sending them to Ukraine will be covered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Director-general of the Rescue Board, Kuno Tammearu, is meeting his counterparts in Kiev today Wednesday for the handover as well as to give them an overview of fire and rescue services in Estonia.

According to Tammearu, humanitarian aid played a great role in building up Estonia’s emergency services after it regained its independence from the Soviet Union.

“In the 1990s, when the Rescue Board began its activities, it was mainly supported with humanitarian aid from Finland and Sweden, since the year 2000 we’ve used the EU’s structural fund to purchase equipment. Like we were helped earlier, we now have the opportunity and the obligation to help other countries,” Tammearu said.